Dr Antonella Russo

Dr Antonella Russo BA, MSc, PhD

Associate Head Student Success, School of Accounting, Finance and Economics

Key details

Dr Antonella Russo

Associate Head Student Success, School of Accounting, Finance and Economics


Dr Antonella Russo is Associate Professor in Accounting and Finance and Associate Head of School for Student Success in the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics at the University of Greenwich. She is an experienced academic leader with nearly twenty years in UK and international higher education, specialising in student success, curriculum development, and quality assurance.

She has held a range of leadership roles, including Academic Portfolio Leader (Accounting), Programme Leader for MSc Accounting and Finance Module leaders for accounting and audit modules, and Accreditation Lead for professional accounting bodies. Her work focuses on enhancing student outcomes through curriculum innovation, embedding employability, sustainability, and inclusive assessment.

Since 2019, she has served as Inclusivity Champion for the School, leading initiatives to reduce attainment gaps and promote inclusive learning environments. She was a member of the working group in the development of the Inclusivity Framework and now she is part of the Faculty Awarding Gap Working Group.

Dr Russo led the successful ACCA accreditation of the MSc Accounting and Finance, achieving 8 exemptions out of a possible 9, strengthening the programme’s professional alignment and graduate prospects.

She has served as Chief Examiner for the Chartered Governance Institute UK (CGIUK) since 2016, where she is also a member of the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Committee, overseeing a seven-module professional certification framework. She also contributes as Chief Examiner to the University of London International Programme since 2020 and acts as an external examiner for UK institutions.

In 2025, her leadership in student success was formally recognized, with the School receiving GBS recognition and University-wide acknowledgement as the best-performing School for NSS results. Dr Russo holds a PhD in Accounting, a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). She is a Gold Mentor and Reviewer and a member of the Gold Steering Group.

Since 2025, she has also been a Member of the Certified Management & Business Educator (CMBE) Professional Standards Board and serves on a Task & Finish Group exploring hoe Chartered ABS can better support the CMBE community.

Responsibilities within the university

As Associate Head of School for Student Success, Dr Russo leads the strategic enhancement of the student experience across undergraduate and postgraduate provision.

Her responsibilities include:

  • Leading student success strategy across continuation, progression, attainment, and graduate outcomes
  • Driving improvements in NSS performance and overall student satisfaction
  • Developing inclusive, data-informed approaches to reduce attainment gaps
  • Leading transition and engagement initiatives, including peer support and assessment literacy
  • Overseeing curriculum enhancement aligned with employability, sustainability, and professional relevance
  • Supporting staff development in inclusive pedagogy, digital learning, and AI-enhanced education
  • Line management, mentoring, and leadership development of academic staff
  • Leading professional accreditation and ensuring alignment with industry standards
  • Oversight of quality assurance, programme review, and regulatory compliance

Research / Scholarly interests

Dr. Russo’s research sits at the intersection of accounting, sustainability, governance, and education, combining empirical and pedagogical perspectives.

Her key areas of interest include:

  • Sustainability reporting, ESG disclosure, and integrated reporting
  • Corporate governance, board diversity, and earnings management
  • ESG performance, accountability, and regulatory developments
  • Accounting education innovation, including blended and experiential learning
  • Student engagement, employability, and digital learning environments
  • Sustainability and climate change education
  • Wellbeing, resilience, and student experience in higher education

Her work is published in internationally recognised journals including Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Accounting Education, and Journal of Economic Studies, and she contributes regularly to academic peer review and doctoral supervision.